Heel building machine



Dec. 14, 1943. McMAHQN r 2,336,740 7 HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1942 .6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 14, 1943. J, A, McMAHON ET AL 2,336,740

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 zen " E hmg miuuuu A #7- TQEMEK Dec. 14, 1943. J MCMAHON- ETAL 2,336,740

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9.. 1942 G'SheetS-Shee't '3 3 i 5 JOHN A. MOM/m;

EEi/EST p. 6/004 /7' 7 fif'gw f aw Dec. 14, 1943. 'M ET AL 2,336,740

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 4 irTmeA EK Dec. 14, 1943.- J, A, MC AHON ETAL 2,336,740

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 14, 1943. J. A. MOMAHON ETAL 2,336,740

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1942 e Sheets- Sheet s I 45 6 1- 102 MEK Patented Dec. 14, 1943 HEEL BUELDING MACHINE John A. McMahon and Ernest D. Sydow, St. Louis, Mo., assignors to John E. Mitchell Company, Dallas, Tex, a corporation of Missouri Application February 9, 1-942, Serial No.. 430,000

23 Claims.

The general object of this invention is to provide novel heel building mechanism for use in a heel building machine of the character described in our prior application, Ser. No. 421,108, filed December 1, 1941, when such machine, which, as we have explained in said application may be made readily adaptable for building various typesof heels, is organized for building decked heels of any desired height for ladies shoes. The present application is a continuation in part of the application referred to, in that it is directed to certain mechanismillustrated and described in said prior application but not claimed therein,

The machine of our prior application is characterized by an endless series of clamp carriers mounted to travel in stages around the machine, forty-two of such carriers being employed, the rest period of the carriers, after each stage of movement thereof, being employed by the operator in assembling pasted lifts into a heel-blank and then depressing a foot treadle to close a clutch on a drive shaft, whereupon various automatic mechanisms are brought sequentially into operation to move the reshly-built heel-blank onto a carrier, to clamp the heel-blank, to unclamp and eject from the machine a heel-blank which has made the circuit of the machine; and to cause a stage movement of the carriers to bring an empty carrier into position to receive a freshly built heel-blank and a succeeding heellank to that previously discharged into position to be unelamped and ejected from the machine.

The present invention is directed to that part of our machine constituting the heel-forming mechanism, and to the mechanism cooperating therewith for correctly positioning the lifts of a freshly-built heel-blank and holding them in their correct assembled position while being clamped and during the initial stages of move- ,ment of the heel-blank around the machine,

sufficient as to time to permit the paste between the lifts to dry to an extent that will prevent displacement of the lifts under the pressure of the clamping means during the remainder of the travel of the heel-blank around the machine.

As to the heel-forming mechanism proper, the invention consists in providing means which will enable lifts for any size, shape, or height of heels for ladies shoes to be readily and accurately assembled into a heelblank, beginning with the toner tread, lift and proceeding up to the base,

01 largest, lift. To this end, we employ a-series of heel-forming plates designed to be assembled in superimpose'drelation in two ranks, or 'piles, lying opposite each other, and adjustably secured in holders, each plate being substantially of the thicknessof an average lift employed in building such heels, and so shaped that when assembled as described they will provide a breast-plate against 'which'the breasts of the lifts are placed in the assembling operation, and a recess having upwardly-diverging side walls stepped in accordance with the decking of the heel-blank; corresponding steps on opposite sides of the recess being designed to receive andengage opposite sides of a heel lift at the breast portion, insuring that each succeeding lift shall project the proper distance beyond the sides of'the lift immediately below it; and as the engagement of the breasts of the lifts with the breast plate of the heel-former assures the accurate overlapping of successive lifts at their rounded, or rear, sides, a decked heel of any size, shape, or height, can be readily built up without any manual adjustments of the lifts on each other being required of the operator. However, slight inaccuracies in the positions of the lifts may occur in the assembling operation, and these are overcome, or corrected, by moving the heel-blank into engagement with heel-engaging means conforming to the contour, incline and height of the heelblank at its rear side, whereby the breasts of the lifts are forced against the breast-plate, and accurate positioning of the lifts secured, as later described.

The heel-forming mechanism described is mounted on a reciprocating plate, and in the operation of the machine is automatically moved inward to carry the assembled lifts beneath a clamping plate mounted on a clamp carrier, which clamping plate is then automatically depressed to clamp the freshly-built heel-blank.

As to the means for holding the lifts in position while the heel-blank is being clamped, and for a certain length of time thereafter, the invention consists in providing a series of backbars superimposed upon each other stepped formation, 1. e., so as to form an ascending series of steps receding inwardly, or in a direction'away from the operator, to conform to the upward and outward incline of the rounded side, or back, of the heel-blank, and each of the back-bars, forming one of said steps, being of the thickness of .an ordinary lift used in building the heel-blanks, and therefore of the same thickness as the heelforming plates constituting part of the heelformer. These back-bars when assembled and secured in a holder are adjustable as a'whole,

toward and from the heel-former, so that they may be accurately positioned to be engaged by the back of the heel-blank when the latter is moved by the heel-former into position to be clamped. These back-bars, when assembled and adjusted in position, may be collectively considered as a holder and guide for the freshlybuilt heel-blank. That is to say, they act to prevent displacement of the lifts when clamping pressure is applied to the heel-blank, and to maintain the lifts in their correct assembled position for a portion of the distance the heelblank travels around the machine. The period of time during which the heel-blank remains in contact with the back-bars is sufficient to permit the paste between the lifts to partially set, so that thereafter they will be held by the paste itself with sufficient firmness to prevent displacement of the lifts for the remainder of its travel around the machine. To enable these back-bars to act as a guide during the initial portion of the movement of the heel-blank around the machine, one end of the assembled back-bars is located directly opposite the heelformer, and after the heel-blank is clamped, the length of these back-bars is such that, in the machine shown, four stage movements of the endless series of carriers will occur before the heel-blank passes beyond, and out of contact with, the back-bars. In other words, their length is sufficient to accommodate four heel-blanks at one time. This length may be increased or diminished as may be found desirable. However, a less length of the back-bars than that shown would probably not give the paste time to set sufficiently to prevent in all cases displacement of one or more lifts after a heel-blank has passed out of contact with the back-bars.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying our invention, the bin for containing the lifts to be pasted, assembled and clamped being omitted for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the central portion of the machine, with a portion of the bin shown mounted thereon;

Fig. 3 is a similar view in rear elevation;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of

v the front central portion of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line '!l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on line B-8 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a view in front elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing one of an endless series of clamp carriers in position before the clamping mechanism, and with its clamping plate raised, or in its unclamped position;

Fig. 11 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view,

. taken on line ll-H of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken on line l2-i2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross-section through the heel-former, taken on the line I 3--| 3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical, longitudinal, sectional view, taken on line l4|4 of Fig. 4, showing a clamped heel-blank with its rounded, or rear side in engagement with a series of holding and guiding back-bars;

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line l5--l5 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of one of the back-bars;

Fig. 17 is a cross-section thereof, taken on line l!-l'l of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the inner end portion of the lowermost of a series of superimposed heel-forming plates which are employed in building a heel-blank;

Fig. 19 is an enlarged plan view of a heelforming plate; and

Fig. 20 is a section on line 2028 of Fig. 19.

Referring now to the drawings, the numerals 3, 4, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, indicate, respectively, side frame members of the machine, in suitable bearings in which is mounted a main drive shaft 5, on one end of which is secured a pulley G which is driven by a belt I from a source of power (not shown). Beside pulley 6 is mounted on the shaft a loose pulley 8, a belt shifter 9 being employed to shift the belt from one pulley to the other, according to whether the machine is to be driven, or its motion stopped. Mounted on the drive shaft 5 near its opposite end is a clutch [8, comprising a loose clutch member II and a fast clutch member I2. The numeral IS indicates a foot treadle to be actuated at will by an operator, which is secured at its inner end on a rock-shaft I4 pivotally supported in hangers l5 depending from a cross-bar I6 secured at its ends to the frame members 3, 4 of the machine. Also secured on rock-shaft I4 adjacent the head of the treadle is a rocker-arm I! extending downward from the rock-shaft, and pivotally connected at its lower end to one end of a connecting bar IS, the other end of which is secured to a depending rocker-arm 19, the upper end of which is secured to a rock-shaft 20 supported in bearings in the frame members 3, 4. The lower end of rocker-arm I9 is pivotally connected to one end of a connecting bar 22, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a rocker-arm 23, which depends from and is integral with a circular cam member 24 (Figs. 3 and 5), the outer face of which is provided with cam surfaces Working against complemental cam surfaces on a fixed cam member 26 mounted on the frame of the machine. The cam member 24 is loosely mounted on the drive shaft 5 and abuts against the hub 21 of a sprocket gear 28, said hub and gear being loose on shaft 5. When the treadle I3 is depressed, the connecting bar 18 is moved to the rear, moving the rocker-arm l9, connecting bar 22 and rocker-arm 23 in the same direction. This movement causes the cam member 24 to be rotated and its cam surfaces to ride over the complemental cam surfaces on the fixed cam member 26, thereby moving its hub 21 into engagement with the side of the sprocket gear 28 and moving the latter inward, or toward the right in Fig. 3, causing the loose clutch member H to be moved into frictional engagement with the fast clutch member l2, which is constantly rotated by the drive shaft 5. The loose clutch member II and the sprocket gear 28 have a common hub 29, so that when the loose clutch member is rotated by engagement with the fast clutch member [2 the sprocket gear 28 will be caused to be rotated. Secured on a cross-shaft 30 (Fig. 5), supported in hearings on the frame members 3, 4, is a sprocket gear 3|, considerably larger in diameter than the sprocket gear 28, and which is operatively connected to the latter by means of a sprocket chain 32. Secured on the inner side of the sprocket 3| is a small sprocket-wheel 33 .(Fi 6). Locatedabovethe crosseshait 30 and rotatablyrmounted .in :bearings inrthe frame.:members:3, A, isa cam shaft E len whichis loosely mounted a relativelylarge sprocketwheeltii whichis operatively connected to the sprocket wheel :33 by a sprocket chain 35. Mounted on this cam shaft 34 area number of cams, which are brought into operation in a given order, so that when the cam shaft is rotatedthe various operations of the machine will be caused to occur in a given sequence. As the operation of .all of these cams is fully described in our prior application, only those cams, to .be'later referred to, which operate the mechanisms involved in the invention to which the present application is directed will be described in this specification.

The numeral 3'! (Fig. indicates a coil spring, one end of which is secured to the rock-shaft M and the other to the rocker-arm i9. "In the operation of the machine, the treadle it is held in a depressed position only momentarily and when released, the spring 3?, which had been placed under tension when the treadle wes'depressed, operates to return the treadle and the cam face on cam member 24 to normal position, thereby permitting the loose clutch member ii to separate from the fast clutch member i2. return movement of the treadle i3 is arrested by an adjustable stop screw 39 which is adapted to be engaged by the lower end of rocker arm 25. The fixed. clutch memberit may be secured in adjusted positions by means of a simple clamp 38 (Fig. 3).

Referring more particularly to Figs. 4, and 11 to i". the heel lifts 35 are first pasted and then assembled on a base plate ll with their breast sides inserted between two sets of heel-forming plate 42, 52, mounted one upon the other in holders 43 and clamped therein by means of set screws 44. In building up a heel-blank according to the present invention, the lifts are assembled in order'frcm the bottom, or tread portion, to the upper portion, or base, of the. heel. To enable the heel-blanks to be built up in the manner describedeach of the heel-forming plates d2 (Fig. 19) is provided at its inner end with a portion 22 which serves as a breast plate, and with inward-extending projections 45 which, in the. assembled condition, diverge from each other in an upward direction to'form a recess 42* corresponding to the shape of the heel at the sides of th breast. The portion @2 of the lowermost heel-forming plate i thicker than the plat 42 proper, as shown by Fig. 18, to allow said portion to extend below the bottom of the holder 43 in which it is mounted and lie flush against the surface of the bas plate ii. The inner side of the projection of all of the heel-forming plates is slightly inclined in an upward direction, as indicated at 4 2. Each of the plates-G2 is approximately the thickness or an average heel-lift, the two series of projections thus forming stepped recesses for receiving the lifis in order from the smallest to the largest lift employed in building theheel-blank. As .will be understood, the inclined surfaces of the projections d5 cause the side walls of the recess 42* to have a general incline conforming to the incline of the sides of the decked heehblank. The holders %3 are mounted on the inner of a movable support which is mounted to slide in guides 56 over the top of the base plate 44!. Th support it carrying the holder 43 with the heel-forming plates 52 clamped therein will hereinafter be referred to as a heel-former. After a heel-blank arm guides it? has been assembled on the base plate Al, the first operation that occurs upon depressing treadle i3 is the movement of the heel-former inward to carry the assembled heel-blank into position on a travellingv heel-clamp carrier 47, shown in all of the main views of the drawings, and the mechanism for effecting this operation will now be described.

Secured on cam shaft (Fig. 8) is a cam it having a cam groove iii? formed in the face thereof. Pivoted at its lower end on the shaft .39 is actuatinglever 5d,.the upper end of which is .pivotally connected at 5! to the inner end of a connecting rod 52, the other end of is pivotally connected at 53 (Fig. 11) to the lower end of a crank-arm the upper end of which is secured on a rock-shaft 55 mounted in bearings 55 provided on vertical framememhere 555* at the front of the machine. A second crankearm t lis similarly secured on rock-shaft 55 and its upper end is pivotally connected to one end or" a link the other end of which link is pivotally connected to a lug 5? carried by and projecting downward from the bottom of the suppc t iii. As the cam shaft 3% is rotated through the medium of sprocket 35 and sprocket chainfiii from the sprocket as previously described, the cam will be turned. Mounted on the actuating lever is a roller 58 which engages in the cam groove it, and as the high part of this cam groove passes over the roller 58 theactuating lever 59 will be moved toward the front of the machine, thereby partially rotating the rock-shaft 55 and through the medium of crank-arm 55 and link tit-movin a heel-former inward and the heel-blank from the base plate @I onto the bottom of the clamp carrier In the continued revolution of cam 48, the low part of cam groove 59 will engage roller 58 and return the heel-former to the normal position shown in Fig. 1.1. Just prior to the return movement of the heel-former the machine operates to clamp the heel blank deposited on the clamp carrier ii, and the means for e'fiecting this clamping operation will now be described, referring particular y to Figs. 7 and 11.

Pivotally mounted on a cross-shaft 59 located at the rear part of the machine is a lever arm ripheral face or which normally engages a wear plate 63 secured on the under side of the lever As the cam ill rotates, its hi h point passing under and in engagement with wear plate raises the inner end of lever arm fill which in turn, through links raises the plungerfi i, which operates to actuate the clamping mechanism by the following means:

A rack-bated (Fig. 11) slidably engages a spur gear '55 mounted in bearings "i2. A. companion rack-bar it slidably mounted in guides it engages the spur gear ii on the opposite side to that enga ed by rackbar An interio-rly screw-threacled boss '85 on mounted in rack-bar 68 receives the lower screw-threaded portion of a red which is located above and in line with the plunger .54, so that when the latter is raised, as described, its upper end will engage the lower end of rod I6 and raise it, thereby raising rack-bar E9 and lowering rackbar 73. The latter, as will presently appear, is provided with means for engaging and moving the clamping mechanism into clamping position on a heel-blank.

Each of the heel clamp carriers previously referred to is provided on its under side with rollers 'I'I, which run on tracks I3 supported on the frame of the machine, and which extend entirely around the machine, as shown by Fig. 1. These clamp carriers are pivotally connected together in a manner to form an endless conveyor. slidably mounted in the sides of each clamp carrier are two parallel bars 8| which are connected at their upper ends by a cross-bar 82 and at their lower ends by a cross-bar 83, thus providing a slidable clamping frame. Secured at their upper ends in, and projecting well below the under side of each carrier 47, are two parallel rods 84, which are connected at their lower ends by a cross-bar 85. Formed integral with the cross-bar 83 at each end thereof, respectively, are two sleeves 86 which are slidably mounted on the rods 84. Loosely mounted in the cross-bar 82 of each carrier is a pin 81, the head 89 of which is adapted to be engaged by the upper side of cross-bar 82 when the clamping frame is raised. Pivotally mounted on the lower end of pin 87 is a clamp plate 99, between which and the under side of cross-bar 82 is interposed a. coil spring 9!. The clamp plate 90 is of the type described and claimed in the patent to Dennis Parks, No. 2,176,560, dated October 17, 1939, and when forced downward into engagement with the base of the heel-blank, indicated in the views where shown by the letter H, its construction is such as to enable it to engage the hollowed-out portion of the base at the breast of the heel to afford a firm engagement of the clamp plate with the entire surface of said base. At the same time, the clamp plate will make a flush engagement with a perfectly flat base, as in clamping heel-blanks for mens shoes.

Secured at its upper end on the under side of each clamp carrier 41 is a rack-bar 91, which at its lower end is secured in the cross-bar 85. Projecting downward from the cross-bar 83 are two short parallel arms 98 between which is rotatably mounted a pinion 99 on a cross-pin H39. Pivotally mounted between arms 98 at their lower ends is a ratchet l 9| which normally engages the teeth of pinion 99 and is yieldingly held n such engagement by a spring Hi2 (Fig. 10) engaging a tail piece I94 on said ratchet. Assuming the operator has built up a heel-blank on base plate 4I, he depresses foot treadle l3, and through the operations of the mechanisms previously described places cam shaft 34 in operation. Cam 48 on said shaft now operates to cause the heelformer to be moved inward from the position shown in Fig. 11 and deposit the heel-blank on one of the clamp carriers 41 which, in the operation of the machine has been brought to rest immediately in front of the heel-former. Cam 6'! (Fig. 7) now operates to raise the outer end of lever arm 60, which by means of links 63 raises plunger 64 into engagement with the lower end of rod l9 and raises it and with it the rack-bar 69, causing rack-bar 13 to be moved downward. Projecting outward from the upper end of this rack-bar is an arm I which extends over the cross-bar 83 and normally at some distance above the same, as shown by Fig. 11, and in the downward movement of rack-bar I3 engages said cross-bar and draws the bars SI and cross-bar 82 downward to carry the clamp plate 99 into engagement with the upper side of the heel-blank and then to place spring 9| under tension to cause it to exert the proper pressure on the clamp plate. Ratchet IOI, which rode over the teeth of pinion 99 as the latter was rotated by engagement with the teeth of rack-bar 91 in the downward movement of the clamping frame, now engages behind a tooth of the pinion and prevents the latter from being rotated in the opposite direction and thus securely locks the clamp in its clamped position.

The screw-threaded rod I6 is vertically adjustable in the boss I5 by means of a thumb-screw 239 (Figs. 2 and 3) on its upper end, to regulate the throw of the clamp plate in accordance with the height of the heel-blanks being built. A gauge 23I provided with numbered graduations, in conjunction with an indicator 232 on the rod enables the operator to properly adjust rod 16 relative to the plunger 64. Fig. 11 shows the open, or raised, position of clamp plate 90 on an empty clamp carrier, and its clamped position on a heel-blank immediately beyond. The latter position of the clamp plate is also shown in Fig. 14. Immediately after the descent of the clamp plate on the heel-blank, the low part of cam 48 will pass over roller 58 and cause the heel-former to be returned to the position shown in Fig. 11. As each heel-blank is clamped, it is moved forward in the operation of the machine a distance sufficient to bring an empty clamp carrier opposite the base plate 4 l, while at substantially the same time a clamped heel-blank, which has travelled around the entire machine in order to give the paste between the lifts time to set, and arrived at a discharge point, or chute, I 96 (Fig. 1) will be released and ejected from its clamp carrier immediately beyond the empty carrier moved into position, the clamp carrier from which the heel has been discharged becoming the empty carrier next to receive a heel-blank. All the operations of the machine occur in stages, and while the clutch members II and I 2 are momentarily held in engagement by depression of treadle I 3. However, the time interval between the various operations is very slight, depending upon the setting of the cams on the cam shaft, and in some instances, as in the clamping of a fresh heel-blank and the discharge of a dried, or completed heel, the two actions occur almost simultaneously. The mechanism for effecting the travel in stages of the endless series of clamp carriers will now be briefly described, as this mechanism, of itself, forms no part of the present invention, being fully described and claimed in our application referred to.

Referring to Fig. 1, the machine is provided at opposite ends with two upright stub shafts, I01, I98, respectively, and rotatably mounted thereon are two large sprocket wheels I99 and 19 respectively, which are provided in their peripheries with equi-distant recesses III] which engage lugs on the corners of the clamp carriers 41, these pivotally-connected carriers thus forming an endless-chain carrier, or conveyor. Fixedly secured to the hub of each sprocket Wheel is a ratchet wheel Ill, from each of which projects a crank-arm H2, the outer ends of these crankarms being connected to opposite ends of a connecting rod I i3, which is provided with a cam surface H4. Mounted on each of the crankarms H2 is a spring-pressed ratchet H5. Projecting inward from connecting rod H3 is an arm H8 to which are secured the ends of two coil springs H9, the opposite'ends of which-are secured to a fixed arm I20 on a frame member- I2 I. Pivotally mounted on member I2I is a stop arm I22 provided on its outer end with a roller I23 which is normally pressed toward the periphery of wheel I09 by a spring I24. Normally, roller I23 rests in one or the other of the recesses III] of wheel I59, in which position it stops the rotation of the wheel, and hence the movement of the endless series of clamp carriers. On the under side of stop arm I22 is a roller I26 which is adapted to be engaged by the cam surface I I4 to raise stop-arm I22 and release roller I23 from engagement with a recess H to permit-wheel I09 to be rotated. The rotation of wheel IIiQ-is effected as follows:

Secured on the cam shaft 34-isa cam I 50 (Figs.- 1 and 8) and below this cam is a lever arm II which is pivotally mounted at its inner endon a front frame member of th machine. Mounted on the upper side of this lever arm is awear plate I52 which, when the cam shaft 34 is'rotated, will be engaged by the high portion of cam I50 and cause the outer end of arm I5I to be depressed. Pivotally connected at its lower end at I53'to'the outer end of lever arm I 5| is a pull rod I5 3, which at its upper end is pivotally connected at I55 with one arm i55 of a bell-crank lever I51, pivotally connected at its elbow at I58 on the lower end'of' a frame support I59. The other arm I60=is pivotally connected at its upper end to one endof-a link I51 the other end of which i pivotally connected to a boss I62 secured on the connecting rod I I3 (Fig. 9). As the cam shaft 34 rotates, the high point of cam I59 will engage wear plate I52 and force the outer end of lever arm I5I downward, causing pull rod I54 to turn bell-crank lever I57, and move connecting rod I I 3 to the left (Fig. 1). In this movement of the connecting rod ratchets I !5 will be moved by crank-arms I I2over the teeth of ratchet wheels III and finally engage behind one of said teeth. This movement of" the connecting rod places coil springs H9 under tension by extending them, and at the same-time causes cam surface I I 4 thereon to'ride under roller movement will be exerted to move connecting rod H3 to the right thereby, through the" ratchet mechanism described, turning the wheels IIiSand 39 clockwise and causing the movement in the same direction of the endless series of clamp car-- riers. The movement to the right of connecting rod IE3 also acts to release stop-arm I22, which is forced downward by its spring to enable-its roller I23 to engage in a recess H0 in sprocket" wheel I09 succeeding that in which it hadpreviously rested, and thus stop the rotation of thesprocket wheels and movement of the endless The cam shaft 34 is, of course, rotated through a single cycle with each depression of" treadle I3, and this rotation is initiated and stopped through the medium ofautomatic clutch and stop mechanism, indicated generally by thenumeral I33 in Figs. 1 and 6, which is governed by' a clutch-control bar I32, actuated from rock This clutch mechanism is fully de-- scribed in our prior application referred'to, and as it forms no part of the present invention, it--isnot deemed necessary to more particularly illus trate and describe the same, as automatic clutches carrier.

shaft 2D.

for producingsingle revolutions of a I driven shaft? are wellknown, and any-such conventional clutch; placed in operation on depressing tr-e'adle I35 could be employed;

In the operation. of the machine in building heel-blanks, the movementandstoppage of: the endless carrier above described will havebroughta clamped and dried heel-blankzto rest opposite the opening to the chute I551 (Figs. 1,.2- and lfl where it is to be'unclamped' and discharged; The unclamping and ejecting mechanisms are'not' il lustrated or described in the' present' case; as they are not involved in the invention claimed herein, are fully illustrated, described and-"claimed' in the parent application, and their operationsarenot" necessary to the performance of the present invention. We Will now describe the method of building hee1-blanks and maintaining-the pasted" lifts in theirproper assembled-position While'being" clamped and during a'porti'on of 'the-movementof the endless carrier.

Referring to Fig. 1, there ismounted on' a -support, or table, 2Il5 at' the front of'the-macl'iinea paste applying device 205 of 'anyxpreferred'construction, but as here-shown havingalower roller- 201 and an upper roller 268 between which the lifts are passed to receive paste'inawell known manner. The lower roller rotates in apa'stepot' 209 and supplies paste tothe upper rollen, the paste being maintained in-fiuid1 condition by an'i electric heater (not shown) I suppliedwith' current by a conductor 2H7. Theroller 2'01 is-10'-- tated by a belt drive 2| I 'from shaft 5, orin any other desired manner. As each lift ispa'ss'ed between the rollers of the paste applying'devicato be supplied with paste it is positioned in the heel-- former by the operator with its breast against the heel-forming plates 42 and its sides against the respective projections'45; and -when therequired number of lifts have beensuperimposed"one upon the other to forma heel-blank of 'the required? height, the-latter isread'y tobe-moved onto' a: clamp carrier to be clamped by-the plate in? the manner'previously described. Wewill now: describe the meanswe employ forsecuring "great"- accuracy in the conformation; or shape, of the heel-blank while at the sametime preventing-dis placement of the lifts, or of any'of'them; duringi the clamping of a heel-blank and; its movement"- for a portion of the distancetravelled by thet=endI-= less carrier.

Referring partieularly 'to Figs: 4, and 14 170117;,

aseries of heel-engaging back-bars :2 I 4-are2showrn 2 I 6 which are inserted in keepers:2-l .Iandz'secured;

in position by clamp screws 2I8. Like the heel forming plates 42; these back-barsareapproXi mately the thickness of the'average-lift and they are positioned in stepped relation, as-shown more clearly'in Fig. 14, to conform exactly tothe" incline of the roundedside; or' back of a'decked heel-blank. This may bedoneby back-inga heel blank against the back-barswhile they are loo'se in the keepers, or els'e-positioning'-a'-heel blanle;v and then pushing the back bars into engagementwithitsrear side; after which-the-clampscrews are turned-down to bind the bars in-their -ad justed positions. The back-bars as a whole are adjustable toward and from a positioned heel-.

blank by the following means (Figs. 14 and i) Mounted on the frame member I2! i a bracket 235 on which is secured an upright support 231, Projecting inwardly from opposite ends of this support are two fixed bars 238, and mounted centrally in this support and projecting inward is a screw-threaded rod 239 having secured on its outer end a bevel gear 268. Mounted on the top of support 237, and centrally thereof, is a housing 24! which incloses a rotatable shaft 252 and a bevel gear 243 secured on the lower end of said shaft and in mesh with the bevel gear 24%. Secured on the upper end of shaft 26.2 is a thumbscrew 244. The keepers 2!! are secured on the upper side of a base-bar 245 at opposite ends thereof, said base-bar being provided on its under side with apertured lugs 246 which receive and are slidable on the fixed supporting bars 238, and with a central screw-threaded lug 241, in which is engaged the screw-threaded rod 2353. It will be readily seen that by turning the thumb-screw 244 in one direction or the other, the base-bar 2A5 can be adjusted toward or from a positioned heelblank to insure that the back-bars carried thereby will be properly engaged by the heel-blank when it is moved inward by the heel-former. Th bevelled edges 215 enable the back-bars to present an engaging surface conforming to the incline of the heel-blank. When the heel-blank is moved inward by the heel-former to be clamped, the rounded sides of the lifts will engage the stepped back-bars 2M and will be held from displacement when clamped. Moreover, the provision of a fixed engaging surface for the rear side of the heel-blank greatly aids in securing a uniform shape of the heel-blanks, as it forces the breasts of the lifts firmly against the breast portions 42 of the heel-forming plates, and their sides into engagement with the projections 45 thereof, so that the breast of the heel-blankwill present a perfectly flat surface, and the surface of the remainder of the heel-blank will be uniformly inclined. As shown by Fig. 1, one end of the assembled back-bars is directly opposite the heel-former, and the freshly built and clamped heel-blank will slide along the back-bars as its clamp carrier is moved in stages beyond its position opposite the heel-former. As shown, the back-bars are long enough to engage four heelblanks at one time, so that fou separat movements of the endless carrier will occur before a freshly-clamped heel-blank is moved beyond, and out of engagement with, the back-bars. This gives the paste between the lifts time to partially set, so that there is no danger of the lifts becoming displaced under the clamping pressure as the heel-blank is carried around the machine to the discharge point.

-, For convenience of the operator, we mount above the machine a bin 233 open at its front side and provided with a number of compartments 234 for holding lifts of the various sizes required for building a decked heel. This bin is mounted on columns 235 supported on the frame of the machine.

We wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction herein described and illustrated in the drawings, except as may be required by certain of the appended claims, and that various changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and.

operation of the machine, or its elements, with- Qutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a heel-building machine, in combination With mechanism for clamping heel-blanks a base plate on which heel-blanks may b built up, a reciprocable heel-former comprising a fixed wall providing a recess for receiving the lift and shaping them into the heel-blank at the breast portion thereof as it is being built up, said recess being open at its back to permit free Withdrawal of the heel-blanks, said former being movable with a built-up heel-blank over said base plate into co-operative relation with said clamping mechanism, and means controlled by the operator for operating said heel-former to move the heel-blank to a position to be clamped, to operate the clamping mechanism to clamp the heelblank, and to withdraw the heel-former from the heel-blank and to return it to, its original position, in the order named.

2. In a heel-building machine, in combination with mechanism for clamping heel-blanks, fixed heel-engaging means located beyond the same, a reciprocable heel-former engageable with one side of a decked heel, to align the lifts thereof, said heel-former being movable with a built-up heel-blank to maintain the lifts thereof in alignment and to bring the heel-blank under the clamping mechanism and its rear side into contact with said heel-engaging means, and means controlled by the operator for operating said heel-former and clamping mechanism in timed relation to each other, to move the blank against the engaging means and within the clamp, to clamp the same, and to withdraw the heelformer.

3. In a heel-building machine, in combination with mechanism for clamping the heelblanks, adjustable heel-engaging means located beyond the same, a reciprocable heel-former movable with a built-up heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism and its rear side into contact with said heel-engaging means, and means controlled by th operator for operating said heel-former and clamping mechanism in timed relation to each other.

4. In a machine for building decked heelblanks, in combination with mechanism for clamping the heel-blanks, fixed heel-engaging means located beyond the same comprising a series of back-bars superimposed upon each other in stepped relation to form an inclined engaging surface conforming to the contour and incline of the heel-blank at its rear side, a r ciprocable heel-former movable with a built-up heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism and its rear side into contact with said heelengaging means, and means controlled by the operator for operating said heel-former and clamping mechanism in timed relation to each other.

5. In a machine for building decked heelblanks, a base, in combination with means for clamping the heel-blanks comprising a plurality of travelling carriers movable on the base in stages and each ofwhich has clamping mechanism mounted thereon, fixed heel-engaging means attached to the base, located beyond the line of movement of the clamping mechanisms and having its engaging surface inclined to conform to the incline of the heel at its rear side, a reciprocable heel-former movable with a builtup heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism of a carrier at rest and its rear side into contact with said heel-engaging -means, and means controlled by the operator for operating said heel-former and the clamping mechanism of the stationary carrier, and for advancing all of said carriers a single stage, in substantially the order named.

6. In a machine for building decked heelblanks, in combination with means for clamping the heel-blanks comprising an endless series of travelling carriers movable in stages and each of which carriers has clamping mechanism mounted thereon, fixed heel-engaging means located beyond and parallel to the line of movement of the clamping mechanisms and having its engaging surface inclined to conform to the incline of the heel at its rear side, a reciprocable heel-former movable with a built-up heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism of a carrier at rest and its rear side into slidable contact with said heel-engaging means at one end thereof, and means controlled by the operator for operating said heel-former and the clamping mechanism of the stationary carrier, and for advancing all of said carriers a single stage, in substantially the order named, said heel-engaging means being of a length to accommodate a number of heel-blanks at the same time, whereby the first heel-blank moved into engagement with the heel-engaging means will remain in sliding contact therewith until the paste between the lifts has had time to partially set before the heel-blank has been moved b yond said heel-engaging means.

'7. In a machine for building decked heelblanks, in combination with mechanism for clamping the heel-blanks, fixed heel-engaging means located beyond the same and having its engaging surface inclined to conform to the incline of the heel at its rear side, a reciprocable heel-former movable with a built-up heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism and its rear side into contact with said heelengaging means, means controlled by the operator for operating said heel-former and clamping mechanism in timed relation to each other, and means for adjusting the heel-engaging means toward and from the heel-former.

8. In a machine for building decked heelblanks, in combination with mechanism for clamping the heel-blanks, heel-engaging means located beyond the same comprising a support having a series of back-bars adjustably mounted thereon into fiXable positions, a reciprocabie heel-former movable with a built-up heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism and its rear side into contact with said back-bars, means controlled by the operator for operating said heel-former and clamping mechanism in timed relation to each other, and means for adjusting said support toward and from the heel-former.

9. In a heel-building machine, in combination with a base, mechanism movable on the base for clamping the heel-blanks, heel-engaging means fixed on the base, and located beyond the clamping means, a reciprocable heel-former movable with a built-up heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping. mechanism and its rear side into contact with said heel-engaging means, and means for operating said clamping mechanism to clamp the heel-blank while it is held by the heelformer in contact with said heel-engaging means.

10. In a heel-building machine, in combination with a base, mechanism movable on the base for clamping the heel-blanks, heel-engaging means fixed on the base, located beyond the same and havinga. straight,.extended engaging surface,v a reciprocable heel-former movable with a built-up heel-blank'to bring the latter under. the clamping mechanism and its rear side into slidable contact with the surface of said heelengaging means, and means under control of the operator for operating in timed relation said clamping mechanism to clamp the heel-blank while it is held by the heel-former in contact with said heel-engaging means, to return the heelformer to its original position, and to advance the clamped heel-blank a given distance beyond the line of movement of the heel-former with its rear side maintained in sliding contact with the surface of said heel-engaging means.

11. In a machine for building decked heelblanks, in combination with a base, mechanism movable on the basefor clamping the heelblanks, heel-engaging means fixed on the base, of the height of the heel-blanks; located beyond the clamping mechanism and having a straight, extended engaging surface conforming in its vertical extension with the incline of the heel-blank at its rear side, a reciprocable heel-former movable with a built-up heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism and its rear side into slidable contact with said surface of the heel-engaging means, and means under control of the operator for operating in timed relation said clamping mechanism to clamp the heel-' blank While it is held by the heel-former in contact with said heel-engaging means, to return the heel-former to its original position, and to advance the clamped heel-blank a given distance beyond the line of movement of the heel-former with its rear side maintained in slidable contact with said surface of the heel engaging means.

12. In a machine for building decked heelblanlls, in combination with a base, mechanism movably mounted on the base for clamping the heel-blanks, heel-engaging means fixed to the base, of the height of the heel-blanks, located beyond the clamping mechanism and having a straight, extended engaging surface conforming in its vertical extension to the incline of the heelblank at its rear side, a reciprocable heel-former providing a breast-plate against which the breasts of the lifts are positioned in building the heel-blank, open backwardly from the breasts of the lifts whereby it may be drawn therefrom, and movable with the heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism and its rear side into slidable contact with said surface of the heel-engaging means, and means under control of the operator for operating in timed relation said clamping mechanism to clamp the heel-blank while it is held by the heel-former in contact with said heel-engaging means, to withdraw the heel-fo-rmer to its original position, and to advance the clamped heel-blank a given distance beyond the line of movement of the heelformer with its rear side maintained in slidable contact with said surface of the heel-engaging means.

13. In a machine for building decked heelblanks, in combination with a base, mechanism movable on the base for clamping the heelblanks, heel-engaging means fixed on the base, of substantially the height of the heel-blanks, located beyond the clamping mechanism and having a straight, extended engaging surface conforming in its vertical extension to the incline and contour of the heel-blank at its rear side, a reciprocable heel-former having a recess for receiving the breast portion of the lifts as they are superimposed. uponv each other in building ,thel

heel blank, which recess conforms in incline and contour at its sides to the shape of the heelblanks at their breast side and provides a breastplate against which the breasts of the lifts are placed in assembling them into the heel-blank, means for moving said heel-former with a builtup heel-blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism and its rear side into contact with said surface of the heel-engaging means to force the lifts into their correct assembled position, and means under control of the operator for operating said clamping mechanism to clamp the heel-blank while it is held by the heel-former in contact with said heel-engaging means.

14. In a machine for building decked heelblanks, in combination with a base, mechanism movable on the base for clamping the heel-blanks, heel-engaging means fixed on the base, of substantially the height of the heel-blanks, located beyond the clamping mechanism and having a straight, extended engaging surface conforming in its vertical extension to the incline and contour of the heel-blank at its rear side, a reciprocable heel-former having a recess for receiving the breast portion of the lifts as they are superimposed upon each other in building the heelblank, which recess conforms in incline and contour at its sides to the shape of the heel-blanks at their breast side and provides a breast plate against which the breasts of the lifts are placed in assembling them into the heel-blank, means for moving said heel-former with a built-up heel blank to bring the latter under the clamping mechanism and its rear side into contact with said surface of the heel-engaging means to force the lifts into their correct assembled position, and means under control of the operator for operating said clamping mechanism in timed relation to clamp the heel-blank while it is held by the heel-former in contact with said heel-engaging means, to return the heel-former to-its original position, and to advance the clamped heel-blank a given distance beyond the line of movement of the heel-former with its rear side maintained in contact with said surface of the heel-engaging means.

15. In a heel-building machine, a heel-former comprising two series of heel-forming plates each series being adapted to be clamped in superimposed relation in line with each other, and the two series being adapted to form a breast plate, each of which plates is provided with a breast portion and a projection extending beyond its breast portion, and the two series of superimposed series of projections forming with the breast portions an adjustably sized recess the sides of which are adapted to engage the sides of a heel lift as it is placed in position with its breast against said breast portions.

16. In a heel-building machine, a heel-former comprising two series of heel-forming plates each series being adapted to be adjustably clamped in superimposed relation in line with each other, and the two series being adapted to form a breast-plate, each of which plates is provided with a breast portion and a projection extending from its breast portion, and the two series of superimposed series of projections forming with the breast portion a recess the sides of which are adapted to engage the sides of a heel lift as it is placed in position with its breast against said breast portion.

17. In a heel-building machine, a heel-former comprising two series of heel-forming plates, of substantially the thickness of the lifts used in building the heels, adapted to be adjustably clamped with the plates in superimposed relation in line with each other, each of which plates is provided with a breast portion and a projection extending from its breast portion, and the superimposed series of projections being arranged in stepped relation, whereby the two series are adapted to provide a recess for receiving the forward portion of the heel lifts as their breasts are positioned against said breast portions, the sides of which recess conform in incline and contour to the shape of the heel-blank being built.

18. In a heel-building machine, a heel-former comprising two series of heel-forming plates, of substantially the thickness of the lifts used in building the heels, the two series being laterally adjustable and the plates of each series being mounted in superimposed relation in line with each other whereby the two series may provide a breast-plate, each of which plates is provided with a projection extending from its breast side, and the superimposed series of projections being adjustable by their plates to provide a recess having walls diverging upwardly in stepped formation whereby to conform in incline and contour to the shape of a heel-blank built by inserting heel lifts of successively increasing size in said recess with their breasts positioned against said breast-plate.

19. In a heel forming machine, a base, a clamping means adapted to receive a decked heel formed of lifts with cement between them and to compress together the lifts thereof, said clamping means being adapted to apply force to the heel tending to extrude the same from the clamp, said clamping means being movable on the base, heel-engaging means disposed adjacent the clamp to oppose said extrusion, said last means being rigid to hold the lifts on the clamps against yielding to said extrusion force.

20. In a heel forming machine, a base, a clamping means adapted to receive a decked heel formed of lifts with cement between them and to compress together the lifts thereof, said clamping means being adapted to apply force to the heel tending to extrude the same from the clamp, said clamping means being movable on the base, and heel-engaging means disposed adjacent the clamp to oppose said extrusion, said heel-engaging means being shaped to engage the decked heel at a plurality of vertically disposed points, and being rigid to hold the lifts in the clamp against yielding to said extrusion force.

21. In a heel forming machine, a base, a clamping means adapted to receive a decked heel formed of lifts with cement between them and to compress together the lifts thereof, said clamping means being adapted to apply force to the heel tending to extrude the same from the clamp, said clamping means being movable on the base, and heel-engaging means disposed adjacent the clamp to oppose said extrusion, said heel-engaging means being on the base, and means to displace the c-lamping means along the base, the engaging means being elongated in the direction of said displacement to remain in contact with the heel for a substantial period until the cement between the lifts has set to resist said extrusion.

22. In a heel forming machine, a base, a clamping means adapted to receive a decked heel formed of lifts with cement between them and to compress together the lifts thereof, said clamping means being adapted to apply force to the heel tending to extrude the same from the clamp, said clamping means being movable on the base,

and heel-engaging means disposed adjacent the clamp to oppose said extrusion, said heel-engaging means comprising a series of superposed members clamped to the base to project at variable distances toward the heel, whereby to engage a plurality of lifts of said decked heel, and said heel engaging means being of rigidity, to hold the lifts in the clamp against said extruding force.

23. In a heel forming machine, a base, a heel former having a shape to receive and position heel lifts to form one side of a decked heel, said heel former being fixed in said shape, means to reciprocate the heel former on the base from a heel building position to a heel clamping position, heel-engaging means on the base adjacent the heel clamping position of the heel former, said heel-engaging means being shaped to receive and engage the decked heel at points opposite the side engaged by the heel former, and to hold the lifts in set position, and clamping means engageable with the decked heel while the same 10 is against the heel-engaging means.

J. A. MCMAHON. ERNEST D. SYDOW. 

